Flags, Symbols, & Currencies of Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France, and therefore flies the flag of France. The French national flag - the tricolore - consists of three vertical bands of equal width, displaying the country's national colors: blue, white and red. The blue band is positioned nearest the flagstaff, the white in the middle, and the red on the outside.The French constitution under Article Two recognizes the tricolor flag as the national flag of France and its overseas departments. The tricolor flag was adopted in 1794 as the official flag of France.
The red and blue colors are Paris’ traditional colors, with blue associated with St. Martin and red with St. Denis. The two colors are also associated with the Virgin Mary, France’s patroness. Occasionally, the colors are used to represent the revolutionary motto: Liberty, Equality, and brotherhood. However, according to the government website, blue and red are the colors of Paris while white was the color of the king. The flag of France is 1.5 times wider than the height.
Other Flags of Guadeloupe
Besides the French tricolor flag, Guadeloupe has regional and unofficial flags, often hoisted alongside the tricolor flag. One regional flag comprises a regional logo superimposed on a white background. Another unofficial flag consists of two horizontal bands of red or black (bottom), and blue. The red or black band features a golden sun with green sugar cane, while the blue band features three fleurs-de-lis. Guadeloupe has also proposed to have an official flag which will resemble the flag of Suriname. The flag of Suriname features a large red horizontal band with golden star separated from green bands on top and bottom by thin white stripes
Other Flags of Guadeloupe
Unofficial flag of Guadeloupe
Symbols of Guadeloupe
Official Logo and Unofficial Coat of Arms of Guadeloupe
Because Guadeloupe is an overseas territory of France they have very few national symbols of their own. Therefore some of the following symbols are that of France. One of the popular symbols of Guadeloupe is the official logo of Guadeloupe. It consists of a golden sun and bird placed diagonally across a green and blue square.
Additionally, the overseas department has an unofficial coat of arms featuring a shield with blue (top) and black (bottom) bands. The black field bears a golden sun and sugar cane tree while the blue field bears three fleurs-de-lis.
National Anthem
- Anthem Title: La Marseillaise (The Marseillaise)
- Music composer and Lyricist: Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
- Date of Adoption: July 14, 1795
Being an overseas department of France, Guadeloupe uses La Marseillaise as its national anthem. The lyrics for the song were written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, who also the music composer. Although the anthem was composed in 1792, it was adopted as the official anthem for France and its overseas departments in 1795
La Marseillaise (French)
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !
Aux armes, citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons !
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons !
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)
Français, pour nous, ah! quel outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter !
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !
Aux armes, citoyens...
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !
Quoi ! Ces phalanges mercenaires
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (bis)
Grand Dieu! Par des mains enchaînées
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maîtres de nos destinées !
Aux armes, citoyens...
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides
L'opprobre de tous les partis,
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides
Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! (bis)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre,
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,
La terre en produit de nouveaux,
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !
Aux armes, citoyens...
Français, en guerriers magnanimes,
Portez ou retenez vos coups !
Épargnez ces tristes victimes,
À regret s'armant contre nous. (bis)
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires,
Mais ces complices de Bouillé,
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !
Aux armes, citoyens...
Amour sacré de la Patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs
Liberté, Liberté chérie,
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (bis)
Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire
Accoure à tes mâles accents,
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Aux armes, citoyens...
The Marseillaise
Arise, children of the Fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised, (repeat)
Do you hear, in the countryside,
The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
They're coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your women!
To arms, citizens,
Form your battalions,
Let's march, let's march!
Let an impure blood
Water our furrows!
What does this horde of slaves,
Of traitors and conspiring kings want?
For whom have these vile chains,
These irons, been long prepared? (repeat)
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
What furious action it must arouse!
It is to us they dare plan
A return to the old slavery!
To arms, citizens...
What! Foreign cohorts
Would make the law in our homes!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would strike down our proud warriors! (repeat)
Great God! By chained hands
Our brows would yield under the yoke!
Vile despots would themselves become
The masters of our destinies!
To arms, citizens...
Tremble, tyrants and you traitors
The shame of all parties,
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will finally receive their prize! (repeat)
Everyone is a soldier to combat you,
If they fall, our young heroes,
Will be produced anew from the ground,
Ready to fight against you!
To arms, citizens...
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors,
Bear or hold back your blows!
Spare those sorry victims,
For regretfully arming against us. (repeat)
But these bloodthirsty despots,
These accomplices of Bouillé,
All these tigers who mercilessly
Tear apart their mother's breast!
To arms, citizens...
Sacred love of the Fatherland,
Lead, support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished Liberty,
Fight with thy defenders! (repeat)
Under our flags may victory
Hurry to thy manly accents,
So that thy expiring enemies
See thy triumph and our glory!
To arms, citizens...
The Currency of Guadeloupe is the Euro
Being a French overseas department, the region uses the same currency used in France and Eurozone. Thus, the euro has been used in Guadeloupe since 2002. Additinally, some shops in the region may accept US dollars but change will be given in euros. There is no restriction on foreign currencies, but any amount equivalent to or more than 10,000 euros must be declared, especially for people traveling from a country outside the EU.
Coins
The euro is subdivided into euro cents, with 1the smallest denomination being 00 cents. Euro coins are issued in several denominations, including 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, €1, and €2. All the coins have similar features, with the only difference being the denomination.
Banknotes
Euro banknotes have similar designs on both sides and are issued in the denomination of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, € 200, and €500. However, each note has its color, with each dedicated to an artistic period in the history of European architecture. Other features include gateways or windows on observe and bridges on the reverse side.
Historical Currencies of Guadeloupe
Before the adoption of euro in 2002, the currency used currency used in France and its overseas departments, including Guadeloupe was the French franc. It was used between 1360 and 1641. It was reintroduced in 1795 and revalued in 1960 after a long period of inflation with each new franc (NF) worth 100 old francs. Franc was used until the country adopted the use of the euro. The first franc coins were made of gold and used to pay ransom for the king.
Euro Banknote
Euro Coin
